Chapter 30

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

Navya carefully arranged the cups and checked the pastries behind the counter, she noticed Abhinav standing a few feet away, his lips slightly parted, as if he was about to say something. She caught the glint of frustration in his eyes, but before he could speak, the door of the café swung open with a soft chime.

Navya’s attention immediately shifted to the entrance. She instinctively straightened up, her eyes locking onto the figure that had just walked in. It was a familiar face, one that brought an unexpected smile to her face.

Abhinav’s eyes followed her gaze, a flash of annoyance crossing his features as Navya walked over to greet the visitor. He clenched his fists under the table, frustration swirling inside him.

"Angad!" Navya called out, her voice light with warmth and excitement. She moved toward the man who had just entered, completely unaware of Abhinav’s growing discomfort.

Abhinav’s eyes narrowed, his thoughts racing back to the morning when he had met this man alongside Dev. The same man who was now standing before Navya, and who seemed to be receiving all her attention.

Without hesitation, Angad stepped forward and pulled Navya into a brotherly side hug. Navya responded warmly, hugging him back, her smile wide. The sight of it—so natural, so familiar—left a bitter taste in Abhinav’s mouth.

“I see you’re still as lively as ever, Navya,” Angad said, pulling back slightly to look at her. “How’s everything going here?”

Navya smiled brightly, clearly pleased by his presence. “Angad, it’s been ages! How are you? And Meera, and your little one? Is it a girl or a boy?”

Angad chuckled, clearly fond of Navya. “I’m doing great, Navya, really good. Meera and I, we’re both so happy. We had a baby girl, actually. Her name’s Dia.”

Navya’s eyes lit up with excitement. “A baby girl! That’s wonderful! I’m so happy for you both. How is Meera adjusting?”

“She’s fantastic,” Angad replied with a proud grin. “She’s doing amazing, and Dia’s growing every day.”

Navya beamed, her heart full of joy for her friend. “I can’t wait to meet her. You’ll have to bring her by sometime.”

Angad’s face shifted slightly, the warmth in his eyes replaced with a more serious expression. “Actually, Navya, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

Navya, sensing the change in his tone, nodded and gestured toward the corner of the café where they could sit and talk. “Of course, let’s sit down. What’s on your mind?”

Abhinav watched them from his seat, a knot tightening in his stomach. He couldn’t explain why, but something about the interaction rubbed him the wrong way. There was a familiarity between Navya and Angad that he wasn’t used to seeing, and it made him feel small, forgotten in the background.

His eyes flicked to Navya, who was already walking toward the table with Angad. She was fully engaged in the conversation, her laughter filling the space between them, unaware of the storm brewing in Abhinav’s mind.

As they sat down, Navya leaned in, giving Angad her full attention. Abhinav stared at them from across the room, his jaw clenched, unable to shake the nagging feeling that something wasn’t right.

Navya sat at the café table, her fingers idly tracing the rim of her coffee mug. The air between her and Angad was heavy with unspoken words. She could sense that whatever he was about to say wasn’t going to be easy for either of them. Angad’s usually calm demeanor seemed strained, his eyes betraying a mixture of concern and hesitance.

“I need to talk to you about Dev,” Angad began, his voice soft but firm.

Navya immediately stiffened. The mere mention of Dev’s name brought a flurry of emotions—anger, hurt, and confusion. “Angad, I don’t think—”

“I know you may not want to hear this,” Angad interrupted gently, “but as your friend, I feel like I need to tell you the truth. You deserve to know everything.”

Navya’s gaze met his, her brows furrowing in apprehension. “What truth, Angad? What more is there to know about Dev?”

Angad took a deep breath, his tone growing more serious. “You’ve known Dev for years, Navya. You know how he used to be—how rude and dismissive he was to both you and Ayaan. He never gave you the rights of a wife or a mother, all because he was blinded by his so-called love for Heena. He thought what he felt for her was true, and everything else, including you, came second to that.”

Navya looked away, the familiar sting of those memories resurfacing. “You don’t need to remind me, Angad. I lived through it,” she said quietly, her voice tinged with pain.

“But Navya, what you think you know… it’s not the full picture,” Angad said, leaning forward. “Yes, Heena betrayed him, and yes, that betrayal opened his eyes. But Dev didn’t fall in love with you because of her betrayal. He loved you long before that, long before he even realized it himself.”

Navya’s head snapped up, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. “What are you saying, Angad? That he loved me while treating me like I didn’t matter? While constantly reminding me that Heena was the only one who did?”

Angad shook his head. “He was a fool, Navya. He didn’t realize what he felt for you. He thought that loving you would mean betraying Heena. In his twisted sense of loyalty, he believed he was doing right by Heena and by you by denying his feelings. He didn’t want to hurt anyone, but in the process, he ended up hurting everyone, especially himself.”

Navya’s hands clenched into fists, her voice rising with emotion. “That doesn’t justify what he did, Angad. He let Ayaan and me walk away as if we didn’t mean anything to him!”

Angad nodded solemnly. “You’re right, Navya. It doesn’t justify his actions. But that year without you and Ayaan… it destroyed him. He wasn’t the same person anymore. The regret, the guilt—it consumed him.”

Navya’s breath hitched, her heart pounding. “What are you trying to say, Angad? That he’s changed?”

Angad hesitated before responding. “More than you can imagine. Dev didn’t come to the resort for a vacation, Navya. He came here for therapy. He’s been seeing a psychiatrist because he was mentally and emotionally broken. He couldn’t bear the weight of his mistakes anymore.”

Navya froze, her eyes widening in shock. “Therapy?” she whispered.

Angad nodded, his expression somber. “The year without you and Ayaan turned him into a shell of the man he used to be. He lost himself, Navya. He couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. He searched for you and Ayaan every single day, every single second. And when he couldn’t find you, the regret started eating him alive.”

Navya’s throat tightened as Angad’s words began to sink in.

Flashback: Dev’s Despair

The bathroom was dimly lit, the air heavy with the scent of alcohol. Dev sat on the cold tile floor, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a broken shard of glass in the other. His eyes were bloodshot, his face streaked with tears.

“I’m sorry, Navya. I’m so sorry,” he sobbed, his voice hoarse and broken. He pressed the shard against his skin, the sharp sting briefly distracting him from the unbearable ache in his chest.

Blood trickled down his arm, mingling with the tears that dripped onto the floor. He closed his eyes, his mind replaying every moment he had pushed Navya and Ayaan away.

The bathroom door suddenly burst open, and Angad rushed in, his face pale with shock. “Dev! What the hell are you doing?” he shouted, his voice laced with panic.

Angad lunged forward, grabbing the shard of glass from Dev’s trembling hand. “Have you lost your mind?” he demanded, his voice shaking.

Dev looked up at him, his eyes filled with despair. “I’ve already lost everything, Angad. Navya, Ayaan… they’re gone because of me. I failed them. I don’t deserve to live.”

Angad crouched down, gripping Dev by the shoulders. “Listen to me, Dev. You messed up, yes. But this is not the way to fix it. You need help. You need to face your mistakes and make things right.”

Dev broke down completely, burying his face in his hands. “I can’t… I can’t live without them, Angad. I don’t know how to go on.”

Angad’s jaw tightened, his own emotions threatening to overwhelm him. “Then fight for them, Dev. Get help. Fix yourself. Because this? This isn’t the man Navya fell in love with. This isn’t the father Ayaan deserves.”

End of Flashback

Navya's heart pounded in her chest as Angad's words lingered in the air, heavy with unspoken emotions. Her hands trembled, and a mixture of disbelief and sorrow filled her entire being. She struggled to process what Angad had just revealed about Dev.

"I made him come here, Navya. I forced him to start therapy," Angad continued, his voice steady but laden with empathy. "And it wasn't easy. There were days he wanted to give up. But he kept going because of you and Ayaan."

Navya's eyes widened, the shock evident in her expression. Her lips parted, but no words came out. The realization struck her like a tidal wave-Dev had been suffering. She hadn't known.

Angad watched her closely, his gaze softening as he noticed the tear that slipped down Navya's cheek. She wiped it away hastily, her heart aching with confusion.

"How... how could he have gone through all of that alone?" Navya whispered, her voice fragile, her words heavy with regret. She hadn't known that the man who had once broken her heart had been carrying such a burden.

Angad sighed deeply, his own heart heavy with the memory. "Because he thought it was his punishment. He thought he deserved the pain, Navya. He never believed he could fix the damage he caused. He thought... he thought you would never come back."

The words stung Navya's chest like a thousand needles, the pain of it cutting deeper than anything she had ever felt before.

"I saw him, Navya," Angad continued, his tone turning more somber. "When my daughter Dia was born, I knew he was still struggling. But I didn't realize how bad it was until he came to my house."

Flashback: The Breaking Point

The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of a night lamp casting a warm but melancholic light across the room. Navya's eyes fluttered shut in the peaceful serenity of her slumber, the rhythmic sound of her breathing filling the quiet space.

Angad was standing at the doorway of the nursery, cradling his newborn daughter Dia in his arms, her tiny face scrunched up in sleep. His eyes flickered between the baby and Dev, who was sitting on the couch, his head buried in his hands.

The two men hadn't spoken much since Dev had arrived, and the air between them had felt thick with unspoken words. But when Angad noticed the distant, empty look in Dev's eyes, something shifted. He knew something was wrong.

"Dev," Angad said quietly, his voice laced with concern. "You've been through hell, man. But you need to talk to me. Don't shut everyone out."

Dev looked up slowly, his face pale and drawn, his eyes hollow as if the weight of his regrets were suffocating him. He glanced at Dia in Angad's arms, and for a brief moment, something flickered in his gaze-something tender yet painful.

"I failed her, Angad," Dev whispered

hoarsely. "I failed her and Ayaan."

Angad frowned, setting Dia gently into her crib and walking over to sit beside Dev. "What are you talking about?" he asked, his tone more urgent.

Dev's hands shook as he clutched his knees, his body trembling with emotion. "I wasn't there for Navya during her pregnancy. I didn't get to experience the joy of watching Ayaan grow. I wasn't there when he took his first steps, when he spoke

his first words. I missed everything, Angad. Everything that mattered. I failed them both... and I can never take it back."

Angad's heart tightened. He had known Dev was struggling, but hearing him speak so candidly about his pain tore at Angad's own heart

"No, Dev," Angad said firmly, his voice filled with a quiet intensity. "You made mistakes, yes. But that doesn't mean you're a failure. It means you're human. You can fix this. You can make it right."

Dev shook his head violently, his tears flowing freely now. "No, I can't. It's too late. I've lost everything that mattered to me. I don't deserve a second chance. I don't deserve Navya or Ayaan. I don't even deserve to be alive, Angad."

Angad's eyes widened, panic seizing his chest. "Don't say that, Dev. Don't even think about it."

But it was too late. Dev's gaze dropped to the floor, his voice barely above a whisper as he muttered, "It would be better if I were dead, Angad. At least then, I wouldn't have to live with the guilt of what I've done."

Angad's heart shattered. He reached over and gripped Dev's shoulders, his hands firm as he tried to pull him from the depths of his despair.

"You're not a failure, Dev," Angad said fiercely. "And you're not alone. You're not going to get through this by pushing everyone away. You need help, and you

need to keep fighting. For Navya, for Ayaan, and most of all for yourself."

Dev stared at Angad, the pain in his eyes. deeper than anything Angad had ever seen before. "I can't fix this," he said quietly. "I've

already lost them. I don't even know if they'll ever forgive me."

"You're wrong," Angad said, his voice steady and full of conviction. "Navya may be angry, but she still loves you. You can't give up, Dev. You have to fight for them. You have to fight for your family."

But Dev, too lost in his grief, didn't respond. His words hung in the air like a death. sentence. Angad sat there in silence, knowing that Dev's battle wasn't just against the world-it was against himself.

End of Flashback

Angad's  words heavy with sorrow. "When Dev saw my daughter, Navya, he completely broke down. He cried for hours.

He told me, 'I never carried Navya during her pregnancy. I never got to be there for Ayaan, I failed as a husband, as a father. He said to me, I'm a failure. It's better if I die."

Navya's breath caught in her throat as she struggled to comprehend what she had just heard. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest. This wasn't the man she had known,

the man who had once made her feel worthless. This was someone different- someone broken, someone who had been through more pain than she could have ever imagined.

Angad continued, his voice tight with emotion.

"I couldn't let him give up, Navya. I couldn't let him destroy himself. I forced him to seek help. I told him that he had to fight for his family, for you and Ayaan, because they needed him. He needed to make things right."

Navya stood there, motionless, her heart racing as Angad’s words continued to echo in her mind. She couldn’t comprehend what she had just heard. The pain of the past, the betrayal she had suffered at the hands of Dev, was still fresh in her memory, but hearing this side of the story—seeing the depths of Dev’s remorse—it shook her to the core. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she could feel the weight of them threatening to spill over.

Angad’s voice broke through her thoughts, gentle but firm. “Please, Navya, don’t think that Dev has sent me here to talk to you. He has no idea I’m here. He’s changed, Navya. He really has. I’m not here to influence your decision or ask you to change your mind. I’m only here because I thought you should know the full story. So you don’t think Dev is just acting now. That’s not it.”

Navya wiped away the stray tear that fell, but it was as if her entire being had been consumed by the flood of emotions that surged through her. Dev—her Dev—had changed? How could she even begin to process this new version of him, the one who had once pushed her away so ruthlessly? She was overwhelmed, caught between the devastation of the past and the sliver of hope that Angad’s words had ignited within her.

As she stood there, silent, the weight of Angad’s words sinking deeper into her heart, she felt someone’s gaze on her. Abhinav. He had been standing at a distance, watching the conversation unfold with growing frustration. His eyes were narrowed, and his jaw was clenched tight, a storm brewing within him.

Abhinav strode over to Navya and Angad, his face hardening with each step. His voice was deceptively casual, yet laced with an unmistakable anger. “Navya, who is he?” he asked, his tone clipped.

Navya was startled by the sharpness in his voice but answered him calmly, still trying to hold back the flood of emotions. “He is Angad. Dev’s friend.”

Abhinav, his voice sharp, laced with suspicion. "So, you're Dev's friend, huh? And you think you can just come here and speak to Navya like this? What kind of person are you?"

Navya looked up at Abhinav, the sadness in her eyes overwhelming, but she whispered softly, "He’s not just Dev’s friend... He’s mine too."

Abhinav’s anger flared, but Angad, unfazed, gave him a casual look. "Hey dude, relax. I’m just talking to my friend. I don't think you should be worried about it."

As Angad turned to leave, he leaned in close to Abhinav, his words barely a whisper. "You don’t know Dev like I do, man. He’d do anything for those he loves. So be careful, don’t cross your limits."

Abhinav’s gaze hardened, but before he could respond, Angad turned back to Navya, his tone a little softer but still carrying weight.

"Navya, you know the kind of man Dev was... how he treated you in the past. He didn't give you the place you deserved as his wife. But now, he wants you back, and not just you, but Ayaan too. A hundred times more intensely than before."

With that, Angad left, his words lingering in the air like a haunting echo. Navya stood frozen, her heart in turmoil as she struggled to comprehend everything that had just been said.

The café buzzed with activity, the hum of conversations and the clatter of cups filling the air. Yet, at the corner where Navya and Abhinav stood, the atmosphere was tense, the air heavy with unspoken emotions. Angad had left moments ago, leaving behind a storm brewing between the two.

Abhinav’s face was taut with anger, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His voice, when he finally spoke, was sharp and accusing.

“Navya,” he began, his tone cutting through the noise around them, “don’t tell me you actually believe that Angad came here just to chat. Are you seriously that naïve? This is all Dev’s doing. He sent him here to manipulate you, to twist your thoughts and emotions.”

Navya stiffened at his words, her own anger bubbling beneath the surface. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him, but she forced herself to remain composed. Her voice was calm, but her words carried weight.

“Abhinav,” she said slowly, deliberately, her gaze locking with his, “you are my very good friend, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. But that does not give you the right to tell me what I should or shouldn’t do. Angad is my friend too, and he came here to talk to me. Nothing more, nothing less. You had no right to speak to him so rudely.”

Abhinav’s anger only seemed to grow at her response. He took a step closer, his voice rising slightly, laced with frustration. “Friend? You call that man a friend, Navya? Don’t be so blind! He wasn’t here for some innocent chat. He was manipulating you—trying to get you to forgive Dev. Can’t you see that? You’re falling right into their trap!”

Navya’s patience, already stretched thin, finally snapped. She stood tall, her expression hardening as her voice took on an edge of steel.

“Abhinav,” she said, her tone sharp and unwavering, “I know exactly what Dev did. I don’t need reminders from you or anyone else. I was the one who endured

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net